


Glimpse of the Future

by Mystic_Harley



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Gen, Gen Work, One Shot, Steven meets a future Doctor, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 15:22:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19832977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Harley/pseuds/Mystic_Harley
Summary: Due to the Doctor's desperation to escape Earth, he accidentally pulls an old companion from his past into his present.





	Glimpse of the Future

The Doctor stared down at the console, eyes intense as he tried his hardest to recall even the slightest detail about the dematerialization controls. Deep down though, he knew it was mostly a futile effort, the Time Lords had removed his knowledge absolutely, leaving him and the TARDIS stuck on Earth.   
  
Except for the brief incursion into that parallel world. Thanks to that sudden surge of power, he had been sent to a fascist landscape, one he had utterly failed to save. He could feel his hands trembling ever so slightly as he shook his head and fought the memory back down. It wouldn’t do to dwell on the past.   
  
Instead, he focused on his latest endeavor. He walked around the console, staring down at the controls and buttons and mentally going over what each of them did, hoping that something would stand out and he would  _ not _ recognize something, because if he didn’t there was a good chance that was what he was looking for.   
  
He did that for a few seconds, before shaking his head again. Nothing. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck. “If only…” He muttered to himself, until the TARDIS shook violently with a loud, wheezing groan. “What’s happening?” He said out loud, running around the controls as they suddenly burst into life, feeding him data. Flicking controls, he stared wide-eyed at the screen. “A flux of temporal energies? But, how can that be…”    
  
His eyes widened, this could be his chance! He didn’t know what was happening but he could try and harness this energy…. He moved around the controls, typing in commands and trying to feed just the tiniest amount of energy into the time rotor. “Come on old girl… just pull a little in!” He urged, and the TARDIS’s signature groaning wheeze filled the air until with a loud crash, the TARDIS’s console room dimmed.   
  
His hearts sank in disappointment, he should’ve known it was too good to be true. The least he could do was try to analyze the source of the chronon energies and see if it was something dangerous. Mentally, he chided himself for being so foolish. As desperate as he was to escape, he should have known better.    
  
So wrapped up in his work of trying to track down the mysterious source of the chronon energies, he completely failed to register that the TARDIS suddenly had another occupant, who was rising to his feet and clutching his head. A handsome young man wearing a black turtleneck leaned over a little. “Ohh… what on earth was that Doctor?”   
  
“I haven’t the faintest idea.” The Doctor replied, failing to notice the look of shock on the other man’s face as he moved past him. “Do excuse me Steven, I have important work to…” He paused for a moment, before whipping around and staring wide-eyed at someone who he knew he shouldn’t be there. “Good grief…” He breathed, before he smiled widely and strode over, eagerly taking his hand and shaking it. “Steven Taylor, as I live and breath. How are you my dear fellow?”   
  
Steven took his hand and backed away from the Doctor, his eyes full of mistrust and confusion. “Look, I’m not your ‘dear fellow’, what I want to know is why you’re here and where the Doctor has gone.” He glanced down at the console and his mouth fell open in shock. “What on earth have you done with the TARDIS console!? You’ve smashed it to bits!”   
  
“I have done no such thing!” The Doctor replied indignantly, standing up to his full height. “She’s… in a state of disrepair at the moment, I’m merely attempting to fix her.”    
  
Steven eyed the Doctor warily, clearly not believing his story. “Look, I don’t know what you’ve done to the ship, but the Doctor will be  _ very _ cross with you! How did you get into the TARDIS anyways? I thought it was impossible to get into the ship while it was in flight.”   
  
The Doctor frowned at his old companion for a brief moment, puzzled as to why he was talking about him as if he wasn’t standing right in front of him. “My good man  _ I  _ am…” He trailed off, finally realizing why Steven looked so mistrustful. “Ah, now I see. Of course, I should have realized sooner, I never did tell you, did I?”   
  
Steven frowned at that question, eyes narrowed and the Doctor could see him trying to work out what had happened. “Tell me what? I’ve never seen you before in my life.”   
  
The Doctor gave him a gentle, understanding smile. “I’m afraid Steven Taylor, that’s where you’re very wrong. You see-” Before he had a chance to explain, the TARDIS doors opened and Liz stepped into the control room, a worried look on his face.   
  
“Doctor, are you alright? The TARDIS made this dreadful noise and…” She trailed off, staring in alarm at Steven. Instantly, she was in high alert. “Doctor, who is this?”   
  
Poor Steven looked even more confused now, staring at Liz and then back to the Doctor. “Did, did she just call you  _ Doctor? _ ” He asked incredulously.   
  
The Doctor hummed, rubbing the back of his neck before beckoning Liz over to them. “Don’t be frightened Liz, he won’t hurt you. He’s an old travelling companion of mine.” He walked over and placed a hand on Steven’s shoulder. “Steven, the reason she called me Doctor is because I  _ am _ The Doctor. The very same one you knew.” He held up a hand when Steven opened his mouth to protest. “I know I don’t look like what you’re used too, and it’s something that in hindsight I likely should have told you. My ... species, can change its physical appearance and personality when we’re on the brink of death, a way to cheat death as it were.”   
  
He couldn’t help but feel a small bubble of affection and pride rise in his chest as Steven remained quiet, silently digesting the information. “I still am the same Doctor that you’re travelling with. The Monk with Vicki, our attempts to go to the Olympic Games and meeting Ravelli. Sara…” His throat closed up a little, and he blinked rapidly to keep himself from choking up too much at her memory.   
  
Steven’s eyes went wide, and he looked the Doctor up and down. “It really is you… no one could possibly have known all of that!” He looked back at Liz, and stepped over to her. “I’m terribly sorry, I should introduce myself. Steve Taylor, pilot.” He shook Liz’s hand and offered her a smile.   
  
Liz smiled back, shaking his hand. “Liz Shaw, pleasure to meet you. Why don’t you come outside and we can get you comfortable, and the Doctor can explain why you’re suddenly here.” She gave him a cool look when she said that.   
  
Steven boggled in awe at how sheepish the Doctor looked. He had  _ never _ seen  _ anyone _ talk to the Doctor like that and get away with it! The Doctor briefly touched his arm and beckoned him out of the TARDIS, and he looked around in surprise as they stepped out into an immaculate laboratory, liquids bubbling in test tubes and various scientific devices scattered across a workbench. A distinct smell of scorched and burnt circuitry filled his nostrils.   
  
“It’s like your lab in the TARDIS.” He commented, sitting down at the stool offered by Liz. “Only the technology is far older, I didn’t think you used such ancient equipment Doctor. Where are we, exactly?”   
  
Liz’s eyebrows rose in surprise at that, and she gave the Doctor a curious look. He cleared his throw a little. “Steven is from the 24th century Liz, well beyond your time. Steven, we’re currently on earth in the 1970s, this laboratory belongs to the organization I provide assistance for: UNIT.”   
  
Steven frowned, wondering why the name seemed so familiar to him. He drummed his fingers against the workbench, giving the Doctor a curious look. “UNIT… that’s an old name, I think. Very old. Doctor, why are you working with UNIT in the 1970s?”   
  
The Doctor shook his head. “I… can’t tell you, Steven. Not that I don’t want too, but I can’t, because you’re not supposed to be here.”   
  
Steven bristled a little. “Well thanks.” He said sarcastically, smiling at Liz when she had to put a hand up to her mouth to keep from giggling.   
  
The Doctor rolled his eyes at his companion’s cheek. “What I mean Steven, is that I seem to have accidentally plucked you out from my timeline. I must have tracked the TARDIS while she was in flight, I had detected time energies and I tried too… latch on, so to speak. It seems that in doing so, I accidentally brought you here.”    
  
Steven folded his arms and nodded thoughtfully. “And, do you think you can send me back? It’s not that I don’t like being here, but who knows what sort of trouble you’ll get into without me looking out for you?” He smiled knowingly at the Doctor, who gave him a fond smile back.   
  
“Quite right. If you excuse me, I’ll slip back in the TARDIS and see if I can sort it all out. Liz, could you make sure to inform the Brigadier that Steven is here? I don’t wish for any misunderstandings to occur. And Steven, do try not to tell them too much about future technology.” Liz nodded, smiling a little as Steven rolled his eyes and gave the Doctor weary assurances. Clearly, it was a conversation they had had many times in the past.   
  
Standing, Liz motioned for Steven to follow her. “If anyone asks, you’re with me.” She said, and he nodded as they left the laboratory and she lead him towards the Brigadier’s office. “Steven, what is it like travelling with The Doctor?” She asked, giving him a curious look.   
  
He blinked in surprise, and she smiled knowingly. “I’m afraid the TARDIS isn’t capable of flying at the moment.” It wasn’t  _ technically _ a lie, but the Doctor hadn’t wanted him to know the truth for some reason, so she felt it best to adhere to those wishes. “So I haven’t been given the opportunity to do so.”   
  
Steven hummed thoughtfully. “Well, it’s like playing a never-ending game of roulette. The Doctor can’t really pilot the ship, so we haven’t the faintest idea where or when we’ll end up. It could be on Earth, some time in the past, or it could be on some alien world. You never know with The Doctor.”   
  
Just the mere thought of it made Liz feel jealous of the man. Of course, she knew that was unfair of her to be jealous of someone who was technically in her future, but in the Doctor’s past. She shook her head a little, she was liable to be confused if she tried to spell it all out. “Here we are.” She stated, knocking firmly on the door.    
  
“Enter!”    
  
Liz turned to Steven. “Wait here.” He nodded, and Liz left the door open as she walked in.    
  
The Brigadier looked up from his paperwork, eyebrow raising. “Miss Shaw.” He acknowledged. “I take it this isn’t a social call.” It wasn’t a question, and she shook her head slightly.   
  
“No Brigadier I’m afraid it’s not. The Doctor had been messing around with the TARDIS again.” She had to suppress a smile as the Brigadier started grumbling under his breath, but he nodded for her to continue. “And he managed to accidentally transport someone to HQ, he’s quite harmless!” Liz added quickly, noting the look of panic on her boss’s face. “He’s an old travelling companion of The Doctor’s, he’s just outside the door.”   
  
The Brigadier remained silent, leaning back giving Liz a long look before leaning over a little, lowering his voice. “Do you trust him?” He asked, nodding at the door.   
  
Liz’s reply was instantaneous. “I trust The Doctor.” She confirmed.   
  
The Brigadier gave her another long, hard look. What he was looking for in her she had no idea, but eventually he nodded. “Alright, bring in him.”   
  
Liz smiled at him and called out for Steven, who shuffled in a little awkwardly, but smiled politely at both her and the Brigadier. She saw the brief moment of surprise on his face, and she wondered what it could mean before Steven leaned over and held out his hand. “Steven Taylor, pleasure to meet you.”   
  
The Brigadier took his hand and gave it a firm shake. “Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.” He introduced, before sitting back down. “Miss Shaw said that you were a travelling companion of The Doctor’s?” He indicated for Steven and Liz to sit.   
  
Steven nodded, sitting in the chair closest to the door. “Yes sir. It’s a bit odd that you use the past tense though. The Doctor said that he accidentally brought me here, so as far as I know I’m still travelling with him. I knew he had other people with him in the past, but…” He trailed off, frowning thoughtfully. It would mean that at some point  _ he _ leaves the Doctor and the TARDIS behind him at some point in his own future. He never really put any thought into leaving the Doctor, where would he have to go?    
  
He shook his head, thanking the Brigadier as he poured them all a glass of brandy and spoke up. “Mister Taylor, would you mind if I asked you a few questions regarding the Doctor you are currently travelling with. I’ve come to understand that he’s capable of changing his face.”   
  
Steven nodded, snorting a little. “That’s a bit of an understatement Brigadier. I was only told a few minutes ago.”    
  
The Brigadier looked nonplussed sipping on his drink. “Yes.” He agreed dryly. “The Doctor has a habit of not telling people important things like that.” He pulled out a piece of paper and started writing down notes on it as Steven barked out a laugh. “Miss Shaw, would you please fetch a temporary pass for Mister Taylor? It wouldn’t do to have him wandering around without one.”    
  
Liz took the piece of paper the Brigadier handed to her and nodded with a dirty look at the Brigadier, clearly hoping to have sat in while Steven was given his interview. “I’ll be right back.” She punctuated, slipping out of the office and leaving Steven and the Brigadier alone.   
  
“More brandy, Mister Taylor?” The Brigadier offered.   
  
Steven shook his head, smiling a little. “No thank you, I’ll be fine as is. Trying to loosen my tongue a little?” He chuckled as the Brigadier bristled. “I’ll tell you as much as I can Brigadier, I promise. You are technically my superior after all.”   
  
The Brigadier gave him a curious look. “You’re military?” He asked, and Steven nodded.   
  
“Former. I am a pilot though, for all the good that does me, as we hardly wind up in a place where my skills are actually useful.” He snorted into his drink, and the Brigadier hummed.   
  
“I see. Well, perhaps you could inform me on what the Doctor, your Doctor I mean, is like. I’ve met him one before, you see. You weren’t there, obviously, so I’d like to have it on record, if you don’t mind.”   
  
Steven mulled over the information, swirling his glass idly before setting it down. “Alright, I don’t see the harm in it. Truthfully not a whole lot has changed between the Doctor I know and the one here. He still looks like an old man with silvery-white hair, only his is combed back. It’s very strange, the Doctor is  _ very _ old but I swear sometimes he acts like he’s younger than me. He has this twinkle in his eye, whenever he’s excited about something, and in a way he’s like the grandfather I never had.” He watched as the Brigadier wrote everything down, frowning as he did so. “Is something wrong, Brigadier?”   
  
He looked up, setting his pen down. “No, no. Just a tad bit of confusion, as your description doesn’t match the one we have on file nor my memories. The Doctor I met was a short little fellow if I recall. Still looking a bit older but with black hair. Bit of a mischievous sort.” Steven’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He knew the Doctor could be a bit playful at times but that clearly didn’t sound like him.   
  
“You wouldn’t have met me back then Brigadier, Steven traveled with me long before Jamie and Zoe did.” The Doctor was standing at the doorway, walking over and clapping a hand on Steven’s shoulder.   
  
The Brigadier frowned at the Doctor. “You mean, the one I met before…” He trailed off, and the Doctor nodded.   
  
“Wasn’t my first face, so to speak. Steven traveled with me in my original body. Now, if you’re through trying to weedle information out of him, I think I devised a way to get him back to his proper place and time in my timestream. Come along Steven. And Brigadier, no need to worry about a pass for him, I already let Liz know that it wouldn’t be necessary.”   
  
Steven chuckled at the exasperated look on the Brigadier’s face as he stood up and shook hands with him. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mister Taylor. However brief. Do try to take care of him. I shudder to think what he would be like without someone sensible watching over him.”   
  
The Doctor huffed in offense and Steven couldn’t help but laugh a little at that. “I do too sir, pleasure to meet you. Shall we, Doctor?”    
  
Together, Steven and the Doctor walked back to his laboratory, the TARDIS door standing open and Liz nowhere in sight. It was a silent walk, the Doctor’s hands in his pockets as they stepped into the TARDIS. Steven eyed him warily as he motioned for Steven to sit down in a chair. “Just sit there and I’ll be able to sort you out.”   
  
Steven sat down slowly, looking at the Doctor thoughtfully as he walked around the console and fiddled with the controls. “I really do leave you, don’t I?” He asked.   
  
The Doctor slowed in his movements, his back away from Steven, but the pilot could still see his brief reflection in the time rotor’s glass. He looked so pained. “You all do, in the end. That’s just how it is.” Steven was about to open his mouth when the Doctor shook his head, turning around and placing a warm hand on his shoulder. “No need to apologize, it was the right time. And that’s all I can tell you, by the way.” He gave him a stern look, before his face softened. “I never got the chance to tell you this before you left, but I am very,  _ very _ proud of you, Steven Taylor. You are an exemplary young man, and one I am very honored to be called my friend.”    
  
Steven blinked at him, stammering a little and completely unsure about what to say. “I… well… thank you, Doctor. For what it’s worth, and I know that you and I haven’t always seen eye to eye but… well, I don’t think I’ll ever forget you, you know. You’re the best man I’ve ever known.”   
  
The Doctor gave him a very warm smile, before moving back to the console. “Thank you Steven.” His hand hovered over a button. “I’ll see you shortly.” He chuckled a little at his own reference, and pushed it.   
  
The TARDIS’s time rotor rose up and down slowly. Wheezing and groaning, filling Steven’s ears as he felt a pull at his naval, as if he was being dragged through the air. He could see the Doctor and the console room fading away before his eyes. “What do I tell you, about where I’ve been?” He called out.   
  
“Oh nothing! You’ll barely have been gone from my perspective. You’ll get a bit of a bump on the head though, I’m afraid!” The Doctor called back.   
  
Before Steven could ask anymore questions, he felt himself be violently yanked, as if some great force had lifted him up and thrown him in the air like a ragdoll. He felt himself spinning, rotating in the air and his stomach churned uncomfortably. He felt like he was going to be sick as his vision blurred and darkened, his senses failing to comprehend what was happening to him.   
  
Then it was all over. Everything snapped back into reality and he stumbled forward, banging his head on the TARDIS console and crumpling to the floor with a groan. “Oohghh…”   
  
“Steven!” It was the Doctor’s voice,  _ his _ Doctor’s voice. The old man leaned down and helped Steven back up to his feet, giving him a concerned look. “That was a rather nasty fall you took there Steven, a bit of turbulence from the ship I’m afraid.” Steven tried to move but he found himself too dazed, and the Doctor helped him stagger over to a chair. “Just take it easy my boy, take it easy. I shall go fetch you some water and an ice-pack. I suspect you’ll have a nasty bruise there.”   
  
Nodding, he watched the Doctor stride off towards the food machine and relaxed in the chair with a small sigh. He would keep the fact he met the Doctor in the future a secret, of course. But silently, he was happy to be back with  _ this _ Doctor. He closed his eyes, letting the hum of the TARDIS comfort him as he felt something cold pressed against his forehead, and a glass shoved in his hand. “Thank you, Doctor. Have we landed?” He asked, pressing the icepack to his forehead.   
  
The Doctor went back to the controls, before nodding. “It appears we have my boy, it appears we have! Hm, shall we, go out when you’re feeling better?” He looked over at Steven, excitement glittering in his eyes.   
  
Nodding, Steven rose slowly and finished his drink of water. “Turn on the scanner and let’s see if it’s safe. I don’t want to repeat that dreadful incident with Vicki nearly stumbling out into the vacuum of space!”    
  
The Doctor chuckled, and together they watched as the scanner buzzed to life and revealed the most alien vegetation Steven had ever seen. He frowned, squinting at the screen. “I’ve never seen plants like that before.”   
  
“Nor have I, my boy. Nor have I. The atmosphere is breathable, nothing dangerous for us. Shall we go out and see what this planet has to offer?” The Doctor asked, an almost imp-like smile on his face. Steven nodded, and the Doctor grasped his cane. “Excellent! Excellent!” Opening the TARDIS doors, the first thing Steven noticed was the intense smell of ozone, and he shook his head affectionately as he followed the Doctor back out into the unknown.

**Author's Note:**

> I am so happy to have finally written a story with Steven in it. He's one of my favorite companions and I've always wanted to write a story with him in it.


End file.
